Recent Headlines Bolster Prop. 8 Foes

In a brief filed late Monday night by the legal eagles opposing Proposition 8, attorneys representing two same sex couples tied the kind of thinking behind the ballot measure to the recent spate of suicides among gay and lesbian youth.

Theodore Olson wrote that an anti-gay marriage measure like Prop. 8 “inexorably leads to shame, humiliation, ostracism, fear and hostility,” the consequences of which “are all too often very, very tragic.”

Boutrous also said his side would rather win the Appeals court ruling “on the merits” with the affirmation of Judge Walker’s decision.

But there’s also the possiblity that the Court of Appeals may find that Prop. 8 proponents lack authority to even stand in for the state in appealing the lower court’s Prop. 8 decision. If that happens, the Appeals court could reject Prop. 8 without giving same sex marriage supporters the broad legal victory they seek.

Author

Scott Shafer

Scott migrated to KQED in 1998 after extended stints in politics and government. Now he covers those things and more as host of the California Report and Senior Correspondent for KQED Newsroom. When he's not asking questions you'll often find him in a pool playing water polo. Find him on Twitter @scottshafer